Rolling cart



F. NEAL ROLLING CART Oct. 16, 1951 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 7 Filed April 29, 1948 77 v 7 3 70 75 761a g INVENTOR. @M

F. NEAL ROLLING CART Oct. 16, 1951 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed April 29, 1948 INVENTOR. W M

Patented Oct. 16, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE ROLLING CART Frank Neal, Cattaraugus, N. Y. I

Application April 29, 1948, Serial No. 23,932

10 Claims.

This invention relates to rolling carts that may be used to carry objects from one location to another. These carts should have a low center of gravity, especially when loaded, and are particularly useful on farms to carry milk cans between the barns and loading stations, and to carry feed to stock. They are also useful in factories and mercantile establishments.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved cart having a relatively low center of gravity when'either empty or loaded, which will have its load-carrying platform relatively low or close to the roadway to make easier the lifting of objects upon or off of the platform, which will roll easily and require a minimum of effort to protect it, which may be used to haul feed or loose material, or material in containers, which has stable equilibrium and is convenient for loading and unloading, which employs a body frame of rigid but skeleton construction to lighten its basic weight, and which is relatively simple, convenient, compact, sturdy, durable and inexpensive in construction.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description 01' one embodiment of theinvention, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out hereinafter in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a cart constructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan of the same;

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of a part of the same at the hinge at the gate end;

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of another part of the same at the gate end, the section being taken approximately along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a transverse, sectional elevation of the part shown in Fig. 3, the section being taken approximately along the line 55 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, but with the gate turned to open position;

Fig. 7 is a transverse, sectional elevation of the cart; and

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal, sectional elevation of the same.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the cart includes a horizontally elongated looplike frame element I, from one end of which aelement. The lower ends of each pair of arms ,ing beyond the cut end I5.

. 2 are connected by a cross member 6, so that the depending arms of each pair and the connecting cross member of that pair form an upright U-shaped frame. The bottoms of these u-frames formed by the cross members, are all 'in the same plane. The arms 4 of the middle pair are extended above the loop element I, then in directions horizontally away from the element I, and then downwardly as arms I in parallel but spaced relation to the upward extensions to formwith the latter narrow inverted U-shaped frames, one at each side of and outsideof the loop. In each of these inverted frames is disposed a wheel 8,

preferably withv a pneumatic tire 9. The axle shaft I0 of each wheel is coupled to the opposite sides of the related, narrow, inverted U-shaped frame, and the shafts II) are in endwise alinement.

The wheels preferably are similar to bicycle wheels and have ball or roller bearings on the axle shafts I 0. The ends of each shaft ID are preferably mounted in lugs I I extending sidewise from the arms 4 and I, as shown. The cross members 6 are connected by one or more (only one being shown) strut rods I2, and the cross member 6 nearest the handle 2 is provided with a foot I3 which extends beneath the handle and downwardly to limit tilting of the loop element I about the axes of shafts II] in one direction. The loop element I, handle 2, arms 3, 4 and 5, cross members 6, arms I and foot I3 make up an open or skeleton frame, and may be made of any strips of suitable material, such as pipe or angle strips bent to the desired shapes and welded or otherwise coupled together at their junctions. Pipe is very practical and inexpensive for this purpose, since it can be easily bent into the desired shapes and welded, and has rigidity and strength and lightness of weight. The arms 3 forming the pair farthest from the handle are spaced Well towards the handle from that end of the loop element I, and this arrangement enables the loop element I to be tilted on the axes of shafts I0 until its forward end (farthest from the handle 2) engages the floor or roadway. This makes it easy to load or unload the cart.

The end or part of loop I beyond arms 3 is divided, with the cross arm I a articulately connected to therest of the loop, such as by a swivel connection I4 shown in Figs. 3, 5 and 6. To form the connection, the loop I is cut off at I5 (Fig. 3)

and within this cut end is telescoped a stud I8 that is firmly anchored therein, such as by welding, with the outer end of the stud project- The outer end of stud I6 is provided with an annular groove I1, and the end part, outwardly of groove IT, has opposite fiat areas I8. A tube I9 slidingly telescopes over the outer end of the stud I6 so as to abut endwise against the cut end I5, as shown in Fig. 3. The tub has chord-like indentations 20 at opposite sides which enter the annular groove I1 and confine the tube rotatably on the stud. When the tube I9 is rotated on the stud until the indentations are alined with the flat areas I8, the indentations will pass over the flat areas as th tube is pulled endwise from the stud.

The tube may be reapplied to the stud, by presenting the open end of the tube endwise against the stud, with the indentations alined with the flat areas I8, pushing the tube over the end of the stud until the indentations 29 reach the annular groove ll. Then, rotation of the tube will carry the indentations out of alinement with the flat areas and lock the tube to the stud. The free end of the tube I9 is bent angularly to extend parallel to cross arms 6 to provide the arm la.

The side of loop I opposite from swivel hinge I4 is turned angularly so as to form an arm 2I (Fig. 2) that extends beneath the free end of the angular arm Ia of tube IS. The arm 2I is tubular and is cut oil obliquely, as at 22 (Fig. 4), and receives therein a stud 23, with an Ii end of the stud projecting outwardly beyond the oblique cut 22, as shown in Fig. 4. The-stud 23 is anchored, as by welding, in the arm 2I. The free end of arm Ia of tube I9 is also cut obliquely so that when arm Ia is moved into a horizontal position, its obliquely cut end will abut and fit the oblique end of arm 2| in axial alinement therewith. The obliquely cut end of the arm I a snaps over the stud 23 as it is brought into alinement therewith so as to form a spring latch holding the arm Ia in horizontal position coupled to stud 23. The oblique end of arm la is flared sufllciently to enable it to receive edgewise the end of stud 23.

In forming the loop element I and handle 2,

one may bend a length of pipe or angle strip into an elongated rectangle and then bend the sides to make one end inclined so as to serve as the handle 2. A cross bar 24 is fixed, such as by welding, at its ends to the sides of the element I, to form the rear end of the element I from which the loop handl 2 extends at an inclination.

In Figs. 1 and 2, the dash lines indicate the position of three milk cans that may be loaded into the cart to rest on the cross members 6 and the strut rods I2. In Figs. 3 and 4 a container 25 is disposed within the opening in the loop element and rests upon the cross members 6 and strut rods I2. It may flare or broaden sidewise over th wheels, as shown clearly in Fig. 3, to increase its capacity.

The pairs of arms 3, 4 and 5 and the cross members 6 together with the loop element I, form a skeleton or openwork frame or basket in which objects such as milk cans may be conveyed from place to place. With the container 25 in the basket, one may place loose material, such as ensilage, grain, hay or manure, which one may convey from place to place. When one desires to load or unload objects, such as milk cans, the arm la is swung upwardly about swivel connection I4 into an upstanding position, shown by dot and dash lines in Fig. 1, which leaves the end of the cart, opposite from handl 2, open to enable the cans or objects to be slid off or on the ISO bottom of the basket. The positions of milk cans s0 mounted on the cart are shown by dash lines in Fig. 2. After the cans have been loaded, the arm Ia is swung back into horizontal position, where it engages over stud 23 and closes the end of loop I. The flat areas I8 and the indentations are located relatively to each other, angularly about the axis of the swivel It, to be alined preferably when the arm Ia has been swung about 15 beyond the upstanding or vertical positions.

It will be understood that various changes in the details, materials and arrangements of parts, which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the invention, may be made by those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A cart comprising an upright U-shaped frame of bent rod having the free upper ends of its sides bent downwardly and backwardly along the outside of the U, parallel and in spaced relation to the sides of the U to form smaller inverted us, one at each side of the frame, a wheel disposed in each inverted U and supported by the arms of that inverted U for rotation about endwise alined axes extending across the open ends of the inverted U, an elongated loop element disposed between the wheels with its sides extending generally horizontally and coupled to the sides of the upright U frame, intermediate of the height of that upright frame, a loop handle coupled to and extending obliquely upwardly away from said element at one end of the loop, small upright U-shaped frames disposed below said loop element at opposite sides of and parallel to the first upright U-frame, each small U- shaped frame being coupled at the upper ends of its sides to the sides of the loop element, with the cross base parts of all of the upright U frames approximately in the same plane and parallel to the plane of the loop, a stiffening rod connecting the said cross base parts of the upright U frames, and a foot attached to the cross base part nearest the handle and depending therefrom downwardly to support the loop and attached upright frames from rocking on said axes.

2. The cart substantially as set forth in claim 1, in which the said small upright U-shaped frame farthest from the handle is spaced horizontally a substantial distance from the adjacent end of the loop, to enable the connected frames to rock as a bod on said axes until the end of the loop farthest from the handle engages with the ground on which the wheels run.

3. The cart substantially as set forth in claim 1, in which the small, upright U-shaped frame farthest from the handle is spaced horizontally a substantial distance from the adjacent end of the loop, the end part of said loop element beyond said upright U-shaped frame farthest from the handle being articulately coupled to the rest of the loop element for optional movement of that end of the loop into a vertical position.

4. The cart substantially as set forth in claim 1, in which the small upright U-shaped frame farthest from the handle is spaced horizontally a substantial distance from the adjacent end of the loop, the end part of said loop element beyond said upright U-shaped frame farthest from the handle being detachably coupled to the rest of the loop element to enable its removal to open that end of that element.

5. A cart comprising an upright U-shaped frame of bent rod having the free upper ends .of its sides bent downwardly and backwardly along the outside of the U parallel and in spaced relation to the sides of the U to form smaller inverted Us, one at each side of the frame, a wheel disposed in each inverted U and supported by the arms of that inverted U for rotation about endwise alined axes extending across the open ends of the inverted U, an elongated loop element disposed between the wheels with its sides extendin generally horizontally and coupled to the sides of the upright U frame, intermediate of the height of that upright frame, a handle coupled to and extending away from said element at one end of the loop, small, upright U-shaped frames disposed below said loop element at opposite sides of and parallel to the first upright U- frame, each small U-shaped frame being coupled at the upper ends of its sides to the sides of the loop element, with the cross base parts of all of the upright U frames approximately in the same plane and parallel to the plane of the loop; a stiffening rod connecting the lower parts of the upright U frames, a foot attached to the cross base part nearest the handle and depending therefrom downwardly to support the loop and attached upright frames from rocking on said axes, and an upright bod disposed in said loop of said element and resting on said cross base parts.

6. A cart comprising a horizontally disposed, loop element having a handle outwardly extending from one end thereof, a plurality of arms depending from the sides of said element and alined in pairs, the parts of which are alined in directions transverse to the length of said loop element, and a cross member connecting the lower ends of said arms of each pair and forming therewith a rigid upright U -shaped frame element, said cross members bein approximately in a common plane disposed generally parallel to the plane of said loop, the sides of a frame element intermediate the ends of the loop having extensions forming wheel-receiving spaces, an axle supported by the extension forming each space, and in that space, and a wheel in each wheel-receiving space and rotatably supported on the axle in that space, one of the cross members having a depending foot to limit rocking of said element in one direction, and the cross member at the opposite end of said loop element being spaced inwardly, in a horizontal direction, from that adjacent end of the loop element to increase the inclination into which the body formed of the loop element and cross members may be rocked for loading purposes.

7. A cart comprising a horizontally disposed, loop element having a handle outwardly extending from one end thereof, a plurality of arms depending from the sides of said element and alined in pairs, the parts of which are alined in directions transverse to the length of said loop element, and a cross member connecting the lower ends of said arms of each vpair and forming therewith a rigid upright U-shaped frame element, said cross members being approximately in a common plane disposed generally parallel to the plane of said loop, the sides of a frame element intermediate the ends of the loop extending upwardly above the loop, then awa from each other, and then downwardly in parallel spaced relation to the upwardly extending arms to form inverted U- shaped spaces, an axle connecting the sides of the open end of each inverted U, a wheel in each inverted U-shaped space and rotatably supported by said axle across that space, the end part of said loop element remote from said handle, beyond the adjacent pair of depending arms being tubular and having a tubular end swivelled on a straight rod-like extension of a side of the loop, and then turned crosswise of the side of the loop to which it is swivelled, and at its free end engageable with the opposite side of the loop to limit its downward swing beyond approximately horizontal position.

8. A cart comprising a horizontally disposed, loop element having a handle outwardly extending from one end thereof, a plurality of upright U-shaped elements depending from the sides of said element with the planes of the sides of the U crosswise of the loop and generally upright, the cross members of the upright elements being approximately in a common plane disposed generally parallel to the plane of said loop, the sides of one upright element extending upwardly above the loop, and then downwardly in parallel spaced relation to the upwardly extending arms to form inverted U-shaped spaces, an axle connecting the sides of the open end of each inverted U, a Wheel in each inverted U-shaped space and rotatably supported by said axle across that space, and a body having a shape corresponding to, and'its sides telescoping within and detachably fitting said loop with its bottom resting on said cross members.

9, A cart comprising a skeleton frame open at the top and having a horizontal loop of tubular pipe, with the handle at one end of the loop and the other end swivelled on one side of the loop about an axis approximately coincident with the longitudinal axis of that side, to swing between a horizontal position in which it is detachably coupled to the opposite side of the loop, to form the end of the loop, and an upstanding .position to open the end of the loop to facilitate loading and unloading the cart, wheels attached to the sides of the frame on axles disposed above the bottom of the frame, said connection of said other end to a side of the loop including abutting, alined ends of tube sections, a stud fixedly carried within one abutting end and having its free end rotating in the other abutting end, the free end of the stud having an annular groove spaced from the end face thereof, and the portion of the tube swivelling on the stud having an indentation entering said groove to confine it to the stud.

10. A cart comprising an upright U-shaped frame of bent rod having the free upper ends of its sides bent downwardly and backwardly along the outside of the U parallel and in spaced relation to the sides of the U to form smaller inverted Us, one at each side of the frame, a wheel disposed in each inverted U and supported by the arms of that inverted U for rotation about endwise alined axes extending across the open ends of the inverted U, an elongated loop element disposed between the wheels with its sides extending generally horizontally and coupled to the sides of the upright U frame, intermediate of the height of that upright frame, a handle coupled to and extendin away from said element at one end of the loop, small, upright U-shaped frames disposed below said loop element at opposite sides of and parallel to the first upright U- frame, each small U-shaped frame being coupled 7 upright U frames, and a foot attached to the REFERENCES CITED cross base Part nearest the handle and depending The following references are of record in the therefrom downwardly to support the loop and me of this patent: attached upright frames from rocking on said axes, the U frame at one end of the loop being 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS disposed horizontally a substantial distance away Number Name Date from that end of the loop to enable the body 351,561 Aubeuf Oct. 26, 1886 formed of the connected frames to rock about the rotation axes of the wheels into a sharp inclina- FOREIGN PATENTS tion and facilitate loading of objects from the 10 Number Country Date 136,795 Switzerland Mar. 1'7, 1930 ground upon the bottom of said body.

185,014 Switzerland Feb. 16, 1937 FRANK NEAL. 821,909 France Sept. 6, 1937 

